Abstract

Cover: The 2nd AIV International workshop “Science, Technology and Cultural Heritage” took place in Catania (Italy) between 9th and 11th November 2005. The aims of the workshop were to discuss the state of the art of natural sciences in cultural heritage, to create interdisciplinary collaborations between scientists working in the field of cultural heritage and between scientists and other cultural heritage professionals, such as conservators and curators. One of the main themes of the workshop was the study of macromolecules and their degradation. Macromolecules in cultural heritage occur either as original constituents of works of art or as conservation treatments including consolidants and protective coatings. Both natural and synthetic macromolecules undergo degradation with time and use. As an example, the picture shows a pair of natural rubber shooting gloves from the Danish Defence Museum in Copenhagen. The two gloves are a pair and both date from the 1948, but the right hand glove is highly oxidized due to exposure to ultraviolet light during use, while the left hand glove was rarely used and was not exposed to degradation factors since the soldier was right handed (picture kindly provided by Dr. Yvonne Shashoua).